On August 9, the Portable and Medium-Format Battery Stewardship Act was signed into law by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. Taking effect on January 1, 2026, this law will create a statewide program that requires battery producers to fund and manage the collection, transportation, and recycling of portable primary and rechargeable batteries as well as medium format batteries that the Act defines as weighing between 4.4 and 25 pounds. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency will oversee the program and ensure compliance with the law. Companies selling or distributing batteries in the state must participate in a battery stewardship plan.
This is Illinois’ sixth extended producer responsibility (EPR) law and raises the total number of battery EPR laws in the U.S. to 16. EPR actions are addressed in ECOS Resolution 12-5: Principles of Extended Producer Responsibility and the Definition of Product Stewardship.
